Riddle me this Professor
by Elerick
Summary: Just as Professor Crane is loosing his taste for teaching a new and rather cocky student forces his attention, for better or for worse. Scarecrow x Riddler eventual slash
1. Riddle Me This, Professor

Riddle me this Professor.

Riddler x Scarecrow

Student/Teacher

This isn't necessarily and AU because it does lead into cannon but it is AU-ish so if you're against that then this is a warning.

Takes place at Gotham University while Crane is still a teacher. Will have 2 to 3 chapters.

Slash will start next chapter

Jonathan Crane hadn't cared for much over his lifetime but he had always loved the subject of psychology. He adored everything about it, dissecting a man's mind without so much as a scalpel, poring over the volumes of bizarre behavior of hundreds upon hundreds of case studies, observing every little social choice and interaction as a road map to past horrors and future doubts. To think his career was dedicated to the most magnificent innovation in human history. He was paid to analyze it, expand its applications and teach others with the results. Oh he enjoyed the teaching, never had there been a time he was not only allowed but encourage to talk about his favorite subject in as much detail as he could manage.

It was the students he hated.

By god, he hated them. He hated the the ones who coasted by in the back rows, barely doing enough work to keep their athletic scholarships. He hated the ones up front who pandered to him, used his office hours, and never shut up. But most of all he hated the imbeciles, the ones who never did and never could understand psychology, and never appreciate the finer points for their full potential, especially fear.

Of course he considered every one who sauntered into his class an idiot. Every day they came, with their coffee that stained his floor and their parent funded books, looking half asleep and barely willing to sit through his lecture. He didn't know who wanted to be there less, them or himself.

Just into his second year as a professor and he wasn't sure how much more he could take.

Then one afternoon, after he'd dismissed his pupils with an irritated rub of his temples, a young man stepped up to his desk.

Even looking back he couldn't say if it was for better or for worse that the whole situation happened, but it began non the less.

"What the HELL is this?"

The wad of paper came down with such force that the slap it made on his desk echoed around the room.

Jonathan was not usually one to be startled but he been immersed in a academic journal since his students began to file out and the sudden outburst managed to make him jump. Glancing up he was met with a pair of bright, shining green eyes, eyes that held an awful lot of rage at the moment.

He had to be a student, who else could it be? He looked young enough, despite the fact that he obviously wanted to appear older, with his slicked back black hair, pressed pants, knotted tie and shirt buttoned as high as it would go. In fact the whole displayed rather made him look more like a child playing dress up then the air of maturity he was attempting to give off. You think with so much effort he put into the whole thing Jon would be able to recall his name.

Nothing, damn it. He should really work on that.

With a quick look at the paper that had been so violently presented to him he spotted the heading.

Edward Nashton

"I believe this is your last essay, Mr. Nashton."

A hand slammed down on the offending sheets, causing his desk to shake. "This is not my MINE!"

Jonathan simply raised an eyebrow, a tantrum made his juvenile mentality all the more apparent. "Oh? And what makes you say that." Surely he would have corrected him if he'd addressed him with the wrong name.

"Look at the grade."

He did. "You did well, I gave you a B."

"I don't make Bs!"

Wonderful, one of those students. "It you want to improve your grade you could always do some extra credit-"

"Don't feed me that!" he leaned over the desk, bringing them closer then what a student should be comfortable with when it came to their instructor. "This isn't about my GPA."

What a strange young man. "Then enlighten me, what exactly is this display about?"

A twitch pulled at the corner of his eye, he obviously did not like to be patronized "You, Professor."

"Oh? Its my fault, then?"

"Of course! You thought my work DESERVED a B! I never get anything but As."

"Never?" he commented with more then enough sarcasm.

"Never, no matter what." his voice was stern, he knew what he said to be true. There was something else in those words told the professor that he probably hadn't always used the proper means... but it sounded like he got what he wanted.

And it might have been that very fact that made Crane want to push him.

"The grade is what you deserved."

He might as well had insulted his mother by how red the young man's face burned.

"Of course if it means that much to you." he couldn't hold back a smirk, "I could just change it."

Before he could reach the now crumpled papers they were snatched up. A series of stomps brought Edward out of the room, followed by a dramatic door slam that shook the poor hinges.

Professor Crane smiled to himself, the kid was an interesting one.

It was a shame he'd probably never see him again.

By the next week he'd forgotten all about the crazed student. There were still lessons to be taught and he wasn't paid to linger on the past. The familiar scratch of chalk on the black board helped drown out the mindless chatter behind him. They were rowdy now but his stern voice always was always silence when he spoke. The slight scent of fear that swam in the room, fear of failure, fear of him, always cheered him up.

"Nyctophobia, is your-"

"Common fear of the dark."

That voice, high pitched and radiating with arrogance He didn't need to turn around to know who it was but he did anyway.

Green eyes and a haughty grin met him in the back row. Of course he would sit back there, everyone who have to turn away from their instructor to look at him, he'd want to make sure he was the center of attention.

Jonathan wasn't about to pander to him.

"This of course is a fear we all harbor in our youth, and stems from our-"

"Natural fear of the unknown."

Before he could correct himself he shot the young man a glare, who gave him a taunting wave using all his fingers.

Fine, if that's how he wanted to play it.

"Darkness," he raised his voice, is Mr. Nashton was going to continue to interrupt him then he was going to talk over him. "Is possibly the best symbol of the world before mankind harnessed fire and-"

"Took its first steps as a culture but-"

"Leaving a lingering instinctive fear that despite thousands of years of evolution-"

"We have yet to escape!"

By the time they were done both of them were just under the volume of screaming, leaving the rest of the class franticly looking back and forth between their professor and the odd kid in the back row, unable to decide what they were and weren't supposed to scratching down in their notebooks.

At that moment Jonathan Crane did something not a soul at Gotham University had the pleasure, or perhaps a better world would be horror, to see him do.

He laughed.

After the undergraduates filled out, most too dazed and bewildered to even complain to each other about what they'd just experienced for the last hour, the room was obnoxiously quiet compared to the earlier din.

And of course the second member of his shouting match stayed behind, he wouldn't have expected anything less. Still Jonathan sat down at his desk as if the room were empty, why should he give him what he wanted without a fight?

"Great lecture, Professor." The grin on his face just begged to have a fist plunged into it, if he had been the owner of a lesser mind he might ave considered it.

"Exactly what were attempting to prove today, Mr. Nashton?" he asked, pretending that he didn't notice the student had both hands on his desk, still far to comfortable with their student/teacher relationship. "That you studied the materiel? That you can manage to do research on your own? I would expect that of any student."

That smile was taken down a notch, to his own satisfaction. "I don't like to be taken lightly."

"Well I don't think I'll be underestimating what you'll do any time soon."

"Exactly."

He'd despised it when students rolled there eyes but it was difficult to resist. "Is this really because I gave you a B?"

"Please, I told you don't care. One bad grade won't make a difference."

"Its not a-"

"Its that you thought I deserved something so degrading. I'm not just another one of your peanut gallery sitting here listening to you drone on every week."

"Oh? And what are you, exactly?"

"I'm a lot of things, one of them being a genius."

"And this is a good enough excuse to interrupt my class?"

"Riddle me this, Professor Crane, did you not enjoy yourself?. I've been in here for three weeks and I've never seen you that enthusiastic At least not with anything but those books you're always flipping through after class, and during when you think they aren't looking."

He couldn't possible despise that grin any- wait, had he been watching him?

"If anything you should be thanking me for making things more entertaining. You're obviously board out of your mind with these nitwits."

"That's not a flattering thing to call your fellow students."

"Am I wrong?"

Silence, that was all the answer the kid needed. With an air of smug superiority he sauntered to the door.

Jonathan knit his fingers and sighed into his hand. "I don't suppose there's a chance you'll be dropping this class any time soon?" It was more a statement then a question.

The door to the classroom had already been open and hid his face but he didn't need to see him to know he was beaming

"Not on your life, professor."


	2. Meet Me After Class

You know this whole story was originally just going to be a little short in a collection of random ones but now it looks like 4 chapters. This one itself is 7 pages long in word! Jeez.

This whole thing is mostly dialog/flirting between the two building up for the next chapter and the epilogue afterwards. It was fun to write I hope it s fun to read.

Name: Edward Nashton

He answered to it anyway.

Age: 21

Hardly

There wasn't much in the student file he'd take at face value. This kid was smart, but more importantly he devious. There was no doubt he might have found a way to change things to get what he wanted.

And he seemed to get what he wanted.

According to his records he'd been at Gotham University for three years already, but that was most likely a lie as well. Someone as loud as him would have lit up the staff gossip circles and he would have heard something at some point.

It didn't matter, Jonathan Crane was well versed in reading people, and that included truths.

"Sandwich?"

Edward didn't come to the next class with the same showmanship he brought to the last but he still made sure to answer every question and keep the other students' eyes on him. And again he stayed after the rest of the co-eds had gone on to more social endeavors. Today he decided it was appropriate to sit himself down on the edge of his desk while Jonathan was attempting to grade papers. Now he was shoving some bread in his face, so far been attempting to ignore him, hoping that somehow the hint that a student wasn't supposed to behave as such might break through.

"University rules frown on food in the classroom, Mr. Nashton."

He shrugged in defeat but of course he was grinning as if he'd won. "You say that but you bring coffee in here everyday."

Brow knit, he reflexively reached for the thermos he did indeed keep at his desk every class.

Edward bit absently into his food, watching the other leave mark after mark with his red pen, almost like he enjoyed it. "You know, you don't have to play the scary old professor, the kids are gone."

"I don't play, I am a your professor."

"I was emphasizing the old, crotchety part. I know you want respect from these idiots but you don't have to act like their grandpa... or dress like it for that matter. I think I saw jackets like yours on in those information reals in the 70s."

Jon gave him a glare from the corner of his eye, he could have stated he dressed in what was comfortable and professional, but it would be more interesting to hit back.

"That's difficult to take from someone who's working so hard to make himself look older."

That got a smirk, the boy obviously knew what he was implying, but much like himself he preferred to continue their little exchange. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm 21, surely you've read my file."

"You were the one who said you didn't like to be underestimated, and I would be honestly surprised if you haven't gotten you hands on your own documents to fit your needs."

"Already have me all figured out then, do you Professor Crane?" his voice dripping with playful sarcasm as he took another bite of his sandwich.

"Of course not, but I believe I'm beginning to." Jonathan kept himself distracted as well, taking a swig of his coffee. "And since neither of us believe whats in your file, mind telling me what's actually true?"

"Like?"

"Your name?"

He chuckled, looking over his shoulder, "Its really Edward Nashton. A change wouldn't be a bad idea, though."

"I'll assume this is your first year at the University, yes?"

"A few credits here and there never hurt anyone. No one's questioned where I got them yet."

"Why come at all then?"

"In case they do I'll have some references."

"And your age?"

"I don't know why you're so concerned about this. You can't be that much older. Start teaching just out of school, which you probably shot through. 23 maybe? 25?"

"I would like to know if I should alert the police that there's a high schooler running around on his own."

There was a pause, it was odd to hear silence when Edward was in the room, almost unsettling.

"Well..." finally. "If its statutory you're concerned about you don't have to worry."

A choked sputter echoed the room when Jonathan coughed up the coffee he was attempting to drink. That was NOT what he expected to hear.

Edward found the whole thing hilarious, covering his mouth to stifle himself enough so he wouldn't fall of the desk. "Oh man, I didn't mean to scare you." the words were hard to make out, he was laughing so hard.

"You didn't SCARE me." he stated with more determination then he would have liked. "I was surprised, no, disturbed that you would suggest something so ridiculous!"

"If you say so, Professor." still grinning like an idiot Edward returned to his lunch.

Jonathan Crane spent the rest of his afternoon visit denying any hint that he had taken a glance at the rear end that was perched on the edge of his desk... which looked juvenile in those tight black pants.

The process continued after each class and became a staple to his week that he couldn't decide if loathed or looked forward to it.

"Riddle me this, what game makes peasants kings?" Today the young man decided to pull a chair up rather then use his desk as one.

"Chess, I believe..."

"Correct." his voice always went up a notch when Jonathan answered his riddles, it gave him a peculiar amount of joy. Jon would have to look into that eventually. "You play?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you lugged a chess board here?"

"Of course not." the words were accompanied by an immature "Psh" noise from his lips before he snatched a blank sheet of paper from the folder Jon kept the lesson plan he was currently attempting to work on.

"I used to do this in class when the teachers weren't looking. You write down the moves, back and forth." After quickly jotting down a line of text he gave the professor a smug glance, "Though I suppose I shouldn't be telling you about passing notes, huh?"

Jonathan took the sheet in silence, implying that Edward would return the favor. His handwriting was rather pompous with wide curves, but still meticulous Encouraging something so casual with the student might not have been the best course of action... still it would be amusing to see his face when he lost.

"So you did this with your friends?" he asked, handing the sheet back with his move on it.

It didn't take Edward long to respond, pushing it back. "Hardly, they weren't even a challenge, but when you're trapped in a room for hours with a half wit droning up front you take what entertainment you can get. Present company excluded of course."

"Of course." Sarcasm, probably on both their parts. "They weren't smart enough for you." It was more of a statement then a question, the boy was getting easier to read by the day.

"Not even close. I haven't met someone able to match me yet." He gave him a smile, it seemed more like a taunt. "You've managed to be in the running though, Professor."

"I'm honored." Narcissism, Edward most likely wasn't even interested in his mind, he was interested in the fact that he had yet to be impressed with him, and wouldn't be satisfied until he received the confirmation of his intellect he felt he deserved. "So no friends to play with after class then. It would explain why you feel you have to bother me every day."

The statement didn't cut like he expected it to, it only encouraged him. "I could say the same for you. What does Professor Crane do in his off hours? Golf? Dating? You seem like the serial murderer type to me, personally."

"I work." he answered sternly to stop the inane line of questions. "I do studies, research."

"On what?" the question sounded oddly sincere, surprisingly so actually. Perhaps that's why he answered it.

"... Fear. The psychology, the causes, the reactions, the physical chemistry... It fascinates me."

He was more then used to the reactions he'd received whenever he was forced to inform people of his work, sneers, confusion, being all around disturbed and if he was lucky fear. But Edward didn't give him any of that. He simply cocked his head to the side with a smirk pulling at the edge of his lips, probably more satisfied that he got an answer then what it actually was. But still...

It wasn't like the others.

"You'll have to share your knowledge on the subject with me sometime. Oh," pushing their little game across the table their fingers touched for a second. "Checkmate."

Yes, checkmate, in more ways then one.

The next week the ended with a test so Jonathan spent the rest of the period buried in a novel while his students left on their own, one by one. He had assumed his younger friend would make himself known when his insatiable need for attention saw fit. Today, however, it seemed Edward decided to try something different. In fact, Jon hadn't noticed him until a hand reached over the text in front of him to turn the page.

"Mr. Nashton..."

"Don't mind me." Edward had pulled a chair up next to his own while he was distracted and just read over his shoulder until he was noticed. "Unless you were still reading that, I didn't think I'd have to slow down."

"Is there a reason you're so close to me?"

"_One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest_. Sounds like something you'd read, Professor, surprised you haven't already."

"I have, I'm returning to it. You still haven't answered my question."

"Speaking of books, riddle me this, my author's uncertain yet my title's the same, I contain random text yet order's my aim. Read me one day and my pages are bare, try again another day and words will be there. What am I?"

He could have shoved him away but it would likely just encourage the him. With a sigh he took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. "A journal..."

"You're not bad, Professor."

"And you are rather interested in riddles, aren't you?" sliding his classes back on he gave him his full attention for once. "Why is that?"

Edward leaned back in his seat, for once putting distance between them. It Seemed he'd finally touched on something that made him uncomfortable. Of course he would never let that little fact on. "Not up to a little mental stimulation?"

"You seem far more eager to ask questions then answer them. What are you trying so hard to avoid." he paused before allowing a smile to cross his face. "What are you afraid of?"

"Nothing! I'm not a case file, Professor, stop trying to read me!" With each comment Crane made the boy made an over dramatic movement of annoyance and moved just a little further away.

"You keep trying to challenge those around you, see how much you can get away with. And you play with them to try and prove to yourself that you're smarter then them... who are you trying to impress? A teacher, those students, your parents perhaps?"

"Shut up." He got to his feet, by his stance he was ready to either flee or punch him in the face with the next word that came out of his mouth. He knew that look well. "Just... shut up."

Jonathan Crane had spent most of his life with people who didn't take to kindly to his particular brand of social interaction. He was more then used to the frightened glances and glares of disgust of any who came close enough to see beyond his professional exterior. Usually he reveled in it, saved him the time of turning them away. But the kid was... interesting at least. Anyone who can make him look forward to coming to class was...

Well he was worth more study at least.

"Alright."

"What?"

"I said I'll stop, I apologize if I upset you."

Edward paused, fists still clenched at his side, knees still bent and ready to run. He hadn't expected him to say that, and he would be mad if he did. "What?"

"Just sit down and read."

The kid just stared at him for nearly a minute, maybe waiting for the ball to drop, for some observation about his childhood or parents, god knew he wanted to make one. Jon waited until he decided it was safe. With out a word, which was even stranger the his apology, the kid pulled his chair up and, indeed, sat down and went back to reading.

As his eyes scanned the words in front of him Jon slowly lost the world around him and forgot about their awkward exchange. That was until Edward was kind enough to remind him.

"Professor Crane..."

A sigh slipped out before he could stop it. "Yes, Mr. Nashton?"

When he looked up from the pages he found his student staring at him, intently. Green eyes were scanning his face like a machine, looking for something, something that made him nip at his lower at the thought. It occurred to him he'd never seen the boy indecisive, his mind had always been working a few steps ahead towards an end. Nothing had yet to throw him off course, except whatever was going on inside him at that moment.

… he was rather captivating when he was confused.

"Nothing." And just like that his cocky smirk returned and everything was as it should be. "I'll be seeing you later, Professor, got something I need to take care of."

"Leaving already?" It was early, usually the boy stayed through the afternoon.

"Well don't go missing me now." he commented as he got to his feet. "People might start to think you have feelings."

"Funny." he shot back in his deadpan voice.

Edward thought it was, he could hear him laughing once the door was shut. When he was sure he was gone, Jon allowed himself a smile.

Jonathan spent that night away from his usual research to go over the tests he'd given out that day. They were full of the usual dribble but his students did well, as expected under him. When he came to one with the familiar signature of Edward Nashton, he couldn't have stopped the grin on his face if he wanted to. The boy had really picked up since that first essay he turned in. Heavy words, hard research, he was deadly determined to impress him, and it worked.

The young man would get the grades he wanted if he kept this up. In fact... looking over the schedule he found this was the last piece of work he had to turn in for the semester. He was done, passed, there was only one class left and he'd be out the door...

Unless he didn't pass...

No, no, he shouldn't even be thinking about such things, it was unethical, he could get in deep trouble with the university for altering a students grades. It was favoritism, ironically not in the usual sense but favoritism none the less. He wasn't sure whether he disliked the idea of being fired or people knowing he had a "Favorite" more.

Besides, if he failed him there was no guarantee that the boy would come back. No, he would, he'd find the grade an insult to his intelligence and wouldn't STOP coming back until he got what he wanted.

But he wouldn't be happy with such an insult... he would probably refuse to talk to him, spending each class in glaring silence.

Tempting...

No.

When did his job become so complicated? It used to be he taught simply so the University would fund his research, his students got good grades and he didn't have any further contact with them.

What was it about this kid? He was conniving, self absorbed, socially obnoxious and obviously hiding some sort of mental trauma that he wasn't even able to investigate

He was strange... and smart... familiar.

A sigh filled his office, that was it, they were two freaks to the world, connected by some sick strand of fate. And a freak owed his fellow freak the best, did he not?

He'd miss the kid, and god did he hate that fact, perhaps as much as he hated loosing him.


End file.
